SHANGHAI, Nov 20 (SMM) – Operating rates across licensed smelters of secondary lead in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Guizhou averaged 50% in the week ended November 20, down 1.4 percentage points from the previous week, showed an SMM survey.

Slightly stepped-up production at Henan Jinli lifted the average operating rate in the region by 1.1 percentage points to 76.8%.

The average operating rate in Guizhou slumped 9.1 percentage points on the week to 52.9% as Jinlong halted one production line for maintenance for two weeks and Yongxin also overhauled broken equipment for two days this week.

The average operating rates in Anhui and Jiangsu remained unchanged at 47.1% and 33.3% respectively this week.

Apart from surveyed smelters, some in Inner Mongolia reduced or suspended production or postponed resumption due to snowstorms. While some smelters in Henan recovered to normal production after the alert for heavy air pollution had been lifted, some limited by environmental protection controls should remain closed until December 31.